Intertwining Weave
by threestyle
Summary: 10 years down the line, a reluctant ANBU and a renegade shinobi will watch helplessly as their paths cross once again. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.


Intertwining Weave

**Chapter One: Every Story Needs an Introduction**

His raven-like hair blew almost supernaturally during a breezeless summer night. Arched on his back were two katanas, both sheathed in solid ebony. The wheels of his sharingan spun, but only blending in with the dark night.

"Kuso," he muttered, looking at the remains of a village that once prospered with a marketplace, and famous for its lush viridian forests. "Too late again, damn homicidal snake bastard."

Taking in a few seconds to give his respects, he turned away and disappeared with the shadows.

-

Placing on his frog mask, one ANBU skimmed through the trees far outside of Konoha until he had met up with several others.

"Damn, Neji, aren't you retiring and picking up a Genin team?" he said to the one with the mask of a bird. "My last mission," came an indifferent reply.

The five ANBU's traveled in silence, until they had reached what used to be the Hidden Village of Grass.

"Holy shit, Orochimaru really did it this time huh?"

"Kami-sama…"

Within the rubble one witnessed the collapsed ramparts on shinobi homes, as well as the severed heads plastered on crudely made staffs. Gory sets of limbs were scattered among the fields, making Neji wonder what were inside the forests.

Removing his mask, Naruto's lips parted in a grim downwards fashion, while his sky blue eyes portrayed remorse for the soldiers who fought for their families against the malicious snake Sennin.

"Sasuke was here." Kiba said, removing his canine mask to sniff the air. Akamaru barked in agreement. To that comment, a certain pink haired medic-nin looked up, eyes clearly betraying her stoic expression. "But he's long gone now." Kiba finished.

"It doesn't matter," the leader of the ANBU team commented, "Hokage-sama made it pretty clear that Sasuke had overthrown Orochimaru anyways, so the body control issue would not be a factor."

"Shikamaru, do we follow?" Neji asked.

"Iiyah, we're running low on chakra, and I doubt we'll find him."

"Ano.."

"Let's head back."

"Roger."

"You'll probably have to stay on ANBU, Neji. At a crucial time, Konoha simply cannot afford to lose a potential ANBU captain." Tsunade explained. Neji's expression remained passive. "Affirmative." Turning around to leave, he added, "Naruto and Sakura is eager to find out when we will retrieve Sasuke again."

"Not anytime soon."

Naruto placed his sleek ANBU uniform in his locker and placed a hand instinctively over his tattoo. _It has been 3 years since I joined this goddamn.. military, _he thought,_ and still no Sasuke.._

Brooding while he walked, Naruto entered Ichiraku and met up with Sakura, Ino, and Shikamaru. The latter pair had thought about marriage, but not before ANBU lets their best tactician retire. It's been 8 years since Sasuke first left, and two failed retrieval missions had passed them by. From the rookie nine, only Hinata, Ino and Chouji were not enrolled within ANBU. Konoha had found the necessity to strengthen its military corps in preparation of war with the Sound. Their Otokage, also known as Orochimaru, had built up an army for political conquest, yet he had failed in assimilating his successor, one certain Uchiha Sasuke. And Sasuke had turned on him, killing many guards before fleeing to become a renegade. Since then, the mysterious sharingan user had foiled many of Orochimaru's diabolical subjugation plans.

_When Sasuke-yaro comes back, I'll retire and take on a team of Genin, maybe find myself a pretty wife.._

_-_

Clutching his wound, he grimaced in pain as he arched his blood-matted hair into the stream to wash. He analyzed his injuries. A cracked rib, two abrasions along his left side and a possible concussion. He smirked, realizing his luck from his latest run-in with Orochimaru's new guardians. Though simply not as strong was the original Sound Four and unable to access the vast power from their level two curse seal, it had still proven difficult for him to kill them all. Maybe he had gone soft again.

Dispelling the sharingan, Sasuke ventured towards Konoha's border. Pretty soon it would be a full-fledged war between the Leaf and the Sound, but Sasuke had yet to find where exactly his loyalties laid. Holding his ribs, he dipped his face into the clear stream, a disturbance to the usually peaceful and serene lakefront. When the ripples had ceased, Sasuke stared at his reflection. While still retaining his handsome looks, his skin had paled over the years, and as his hair grew longer, his bangs covered the outline of his face all the way down to his neck. Still with the hitai-ate of the Sound, but exiled, Sasuke donned his overly large black jacket, which almost revealed none of the same dark clothing inside.

Smirking again, he thought, _Can't wait to see that dobe whoop some solid snake ass.._

**Chapter Two: Foreshadowing**


End file.
